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I've always found it interesting how US citizens can travel to NK, but not Cuba. I do realize things are changing with travel to Cuba but there are still restri

by pcurve 11y ago

I've always found it interesting how US citizens can travel to NK, but not Cuba. I do realize things are changing with travel to Cuba but there are still restrictions

donatj 11y ago
You can go to Cuba actually, I know a couple people who've been on missions with their church.
- dalke 11y ago
  "can travel to NK" should be read as "can travel to NK without special permission from the US government." You didn't need permission from the US per se to go to Cuba. You needed permission to contribute to the Cuban economy. If you were in a boat, entered Cuban waters, sailed around Havana harbor, and left without paying any sort of fees, then I don't think there was need for permission. It's possible to get a travel exemption that allows per diem expenditures. The details depend on the type of exemption. See http://www.usacubatravel.com/restriction.htm http://www.usacubatravel.com/restriction.htm . One of them is "Specific licenses for religious organizations", which is almost certainly what that church applied for in order for its members to travel to Cuba. These restrictions are changing this week, I believe. I don't know the latest status.
pg_bot 11y ago
Fun fact, US citizens can now visit both countries.
- nerfhammer 11y ago
  They relaxed more of the restrictions on travel to Cuba just today: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/us/politics/white-house-cuba-restrictions.html http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/us/politics/white-house-cu...
seanmcdirmid 11y ago
We used to not be able to go to NK, but the restriction was from the NK side rather than the USA side. That changed around....2012 I think.
- United857 11y ago
  I went as an American in October 2005 (before that, yeah -- Americans had not been allowed.)
  - seanmcdirmid 11y ago
    Was it October? Prior to 201* something, Americans were allowed to go during the mass games.

by pcurve 11y ago

I've always found it interesting how US citizens can travel to NK, but not Cuba. I do realize things are changing with travel to Cuba but there are still restrictions

donatj 11y ago

You can go to Cuba actually, I know a couple people who've been on missions with their church.

dalke 11y ago
"can travel to NK" should be read as "can travel to NK without special permission from the US government." You didn't need permission from the US per se to go to Cuba. You needed permission to contribute to the Cuban economy. If you were in a boat, entered Cuban waters, sailed around Havana harbor, and left without paying any sort of fees, then I don't think there was need for permission. It's possible to get a travel exemption that allows per diem expenditures. The details depend on the type of exemption. See http://www.usacubatravel.com/restriction.htm http://www.usacubatravel.com/restriction.htm . One of them is "Specific licenses for religious organizations", which is almost certainly what that church applied for in order for its members to travel to Cuba. These restrictions are changing this week, I believe. I don't know the latest status.

pg_bot 11y ago

Fun fact, US citizens can now visit both countries.

nerfhammer 11y ago
They relaxed more of the restrictions on travel to Cuba just today: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/us/politics/white-house-cuba-restrictions.html http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/us/politics/white-house-cu...

seanmcdirmid 11y ago

We used to not be able to go to NK, but the restriction was from the NK side rather than the USA side. That changed around....2012 I think.

United857 11y ago
I went as an American in October 2005 (before that, yeah -- Americans had not been allowed.)
- seanmcdirmid 11y ago
  Was it October? Prior to 201* something, Americans were allowed to go during the mass games.